Brake



R. F. KOHR April 14, 1931.

BRAKE File April 23, 1928 ATTO EY -30 to apply the brakes,

Patented Apr. 414, 1931 UNITED. STATES. PAii-:Nr'oFi-ica nonnen: ii'. Kona, or sou'rn BENI); INDIANA, AssreNon 'ro 'mn srrUiiniiAxiizn oonronArIoN, or son'rn BEND, INDIANA, A coaronArIoN or NEW :maar: s

Animation nea Amai-2s, iaas.y semi N0. 272,149.

This invention relates to brakes for motor vehicles and articularly to means for. distributing the The principal object of this invention is to y rovide a motor vehicle with a'four wheely rake equalizerwhich is simple in construction, eiiic'ient in operation, and very economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a motor vehicle with ai four wheel brake equalizer comprising a'rotatable cross shaft bodily mov- I able longitudinally of the vehicle to equally distribute braking pressure between the front and rear brakes. t A further object is to rovide a motor vehicle with a four wheel rake equalizer comprising a transverse shaft khaving connec- '20 tions at its ends with front and rear brakes,

links connecting the ends of the double ended levers on the shaft with the ends of the pivotally mounted double ended levers mount ed on the clutch housing whereby movement of the foot pedal causes rotationof the shaft the links. allowing the shaft to swing forwardly or rearwardly to equally distribute tween the front and rear brakes.

These being among Y the objects of the present invention the same consists of cer tain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing and then claimed, having the above and other ob'- jects in view.

. In the Vaccompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention, t

mately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing raking pressure to the frpnt and rear brakes whereby an equall braking 5 pressure will be applied to each of the brakes.

the braking pressure be the brake rock shaft and means for operating 'the same.

Figure 3 isan enlarged perspective view of one of the links for connecting the shaft lWith'the brake foot pedaL/ t Figure .4 is aA diagrammatic perspective view of the brake operating and equalizing mechanism, the solid lines thereof showing the saine in normal inoperative position, an the broken lines showing the same moved to one of its operative'positions.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in p which like numerals refer to like vparts throughout `the several views, the automobile chassis shown is of conventional construction having frame side rails 10, front and rear springs 11 and 12 respectively supporting the side rails l0 on the front and rear axles (not shown), and front and rear road wheels 13 and.14 respectively. An'en 'ne 15 is su ported by the forward ends o theframe si e .rails 10 and is connected by a suitable clutch (not shown) contained with a clutch housing- 16 to the transmission unit 17. The front and rear wheels 13 and 14 are provided with brakes 18v and 19- respectively shown in broken outline in Figure 1.

The front wheel brake mechanisms 18 are.

actuated by llevers20 which are connected to rearwardly extending brake rods 21, and the rear brake mechanisms 19 are likewise actuated by levers 22 connected to brake rodsl 23.

The forward ends'of these brake rods 23 are pivoted to arms 24 swingablyl supported b the frame side rails 10. Forwardly exten ing rods 25 are also pivotally connected at their rear ends to the swingable arms 24. v

1 A rotatable rock shaft 26 extending trans.

versely of the vehicle frame is provided with y double-ended levers 29 at its extremities which are pivotally pinned to the clevis ends of the front brake rods 21 and rear brake rods e. i,

25. When the lrock shaft 26 is rotated the levers 29 pull the brake rods 21 and 25 toward each other and actuate the brakes 18 and 19. y

The shaft 26 is rotated by means of the conventional brake pedal 27 which is pivotally supported on the clutch operating shaft 28 that is carried by the clutch housing 16 as i100 shown. in Figure 2. The brake pedal 2'??` is formed with diametrically opposite arms 30 which are connected to the ends of a double ended member 31 secured to the shaft 26 by suitable links 32, onelof which is shown in enlarged perspective in Figure 3. Spaced from the lever 31 and onthe opposite side of the transmission 17 is another double ended member 33 which is connected at its ends by similar links 34 to a member 35 having diametrically opposed arms. This member 35 is pivotally supported between its ends preferably upon its clutch shaft 28 so that it is free to rotate. The links 32 and 34am preferably made from sheet metal stampings to present a U-shaped appearance as shown in Figure 3.

In order to clearly show the operation of the brake equalizing mechanism of the present invention, the same is shown diagrammatically in Figure 4, the solid lines showing the same in normal inoperative position and the .broken lines showing the same in one of its operating positions. First when it is desired to apply the brakes 18 and 19, the foot edal 27 is depressed which by means of the evers 30 and 31 and links 32 rotates the shaft 26 causing the rods 21 and 25 to be drawn toward each other. This movement of the rods 21 and 25 pivots the brake levers 20 and 22 to actuate the brakes 18 and 19 respectively. This is substantially the action which occurs when the four brakes are adjusted so as to be applied with equal movement and all the rods are of the proper length to allow this movement. Consequently the rock shaft 26 then only rotates.

When, however, the rear brakes 19 require more movement to apply the same than the front brakes 18 or vice versa, the movement imparted to one brake must be different than that imparted to the other7 hence the equal-` izing rock shaft 26 comes into operation to 'effect the desired result.

In Figure 4, the broken outline of the equalizing mechanism represents the position of the same when the brakes are applied in the case Where the rear brakes 19 require more movement to be applied than the front brakes 18. The shaft 26 is rotated by depressing the foot pedal 27 and the brake rods 21 and 25 are moved toward each other to actuate the levers 2O and 22. The front brakes 18 engage more quickly than the rear brakes 19 due to the smaller movement. required and then further rotation of the shaft 26 causes the same to swing forwardly as shown to completely engage the rear brakes 19 and therefore equally distribute the braking pressure between the front and rear brakes. In other words, the shaft 26,'

because it is entirely suspended by the links 32 and 34, is free'to swing longitudinally of the vehicle and therefore moves in the necessary forward or rearward direction to equally distribute the braking pressure proing said levers,

duced by the rotation of the same. 1lthough only one condition of equalization 1s shown,

it is believed that the resulting movement of the mechanism under other conditions of unequal movements of the brake levers 20 and 22 will be apparent from/a study of the description and drawings.

While but one embodiment of the present invention is described and illustrated, it is to be understood that formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a motor vehicle having a clutch unit provided with a transversely extending clutch operating shaft, a brake rock shaft parallel to said clutch shaft, and means on said clutch shaft for hingedly supporting said brake rock shaft.

2. In a motor vehicle having aY clutch unit provided with a transversel extending clutch operating shaft, a bra e operating member pivotally mounted/on said shaft` a brake rock shaft parallel to said clutch shaft,

and ivoted means on saidbrake operating mem er for hingedly supporting said brake rock shaft to allo-w movement of the same longitudinally of said vehicle.

3. In a motor vehicle having a clutch unit provided with a transversely extending clutch operating shaft, spaced double levers pivotally mounted on said shaft, a brake rock shaft parallel to said clutch shaft havingV spaced double levers thereon, and links pivoted to the ends of said levers on said clutch shaft and to the ends o f said levers on said brake shaft to allow bodily shiftable movement of said brake shaft longitudinally of said vehicle.

4. In a vehicle having front and rear wheel brakes, levers operatively connectingfeach front Wheel brake with its respective rear wheel brake, Va ro'ck shaft interconnecting said levers, means for hingedly supporting said rock shaft to permit movement thereof longitudinally of said vehicle, and means for moving said supporting means to rotate said rock shaft for operating said brakes.

5. In Va -i'vehicle'f'having front and rear wheel brakes, llevers operatively connecting each front wheel brake with its respective rear wheel brake, a rock shaft interconnecta brake operating member, means hingedly connecting said rock shaft and brake operating member for supporting said shaft and permitting rotation thereof upon" movement of said member and for allowing said rock shaft to move longitudinally of said vehicle upon rotation of the same to equally distribute braking pressurev 6. In a vehicle having front and rear wheel brakes, levers operatively connecting eachA front wheel bra e with its respective rear wheel brake, a rock shaft interconnecting said levers, oppositely disposed arms on said rock shaft, brake operating member having diametrically-opposed arms, and a plurality of links pivotally connecting the ends of said curely interconnecting said levers, spaced double levers secured to said shaft, double levers pivotally mounted on said clutch shaft at each side of said vclutch unit, a lurality of links pivotally connecting the enlds of the double levers on said shaft with the ends of the said pivoted double levers, and a brake foot pedal secured to one of said pivotally mounted levers whereby movement of said pedal rotates said shaft to apply said brakes, said links permitting movement of said lshaft longitudinally of said vehicle to equalize the bra 'ng pressure between each front wheel brake and its respective rear wheel brake.

8. Iny a braking mechanism for a motor vehicle, a rotatable brake cross shaft, spaced members intermediate the ends of said shaft 'each having oppositely disposed arms, and

pivoted links having their lower ends pivoted to said arms whereby said cross shaft may swing longitudinally of said vehicle.

,9. In a brake me'chanism for a motor vehicle a brake rock shaft bodily movable longitudinally of said vehicle, and a sup ort therefor comprising a plurality of mem rs pivoted at ad'acent ends to each other to form a closed gure, one of said members being secured to said cross shaft.

10. In .a brake mechanism for a motor vehicle, a brake rock shaft extending transversely of said vehicle, the sole support therefor comprising a plurality of members pivoted to each other at adjacent ends to form a. closed gure, one of which is secured intermediate its ends to said cross shaft and the member opposite thereto being constrained to pivotal movement about an axis intermedi-4 ate its ends, thereby' to permit rotation of said shaft and to permit movement of said shaft longitudinall of said vehicle.

Signed by me at outh Bend, this 20th day Y of April, 1928.

ROBERT F. KOHR. 

